Oregon's dry-land farming expertise may help Qatar

Oregon's expertise in sustainable agriculture and renewable energy has paid off in a new relationship with the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar.

State and Qatar officials recently signed a memorandum of understanding that calls for collaborative projects involving desalination technology, irrigation and agronomic methods. The agreement followed a trip to Oregon State University, where faculty discussed research on dry-land farming and a "next generation" irrigation system that uses brackish water and treated waste water.

Qatar, a small, oil-rich nation bordering Saudi Arabia, faces agricultural challenges similar to Oregon's dry eastern side, where farmers grow dry-land wheat that is not irrigated and have developed high-efficiency watering systems that allow them to grow other crops.

Todd Simmons, an OSU spokesman, said a half dozen American universities have established branch campuses in Qatar's "Education City," and OSU eventually may open a research center.

Qatar is committed to innovation as a means to achieve food and water security, according to an OSU news releases. Qatar recently proposed a Global Dry Lands Alliance through the United Nations, with the intent to develop renewable energy technology and apply the best agronomic practices in arid lands.